Dashboard Literary Agents Success Story Interviews RL Little

Success Story Interview - RL Little

An Interview with RL Little (RLLittle on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Diego Harrison of SBR Media.

04/04/2025

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?: RL Little:
The book is titled Max Power: A Maxwell Powers Mystery. It is a about a retired NBA champion who feel on hard times, but has a knack at solving mysteries within the community. When a Super Bowl Champion QB who he used to mentor is accused of murdering an escort and potentially losing his freedom and $500 million contract he calls in Max to unrivaled who set him up and there is a LONG list of suspects :).

My inspiration was the fact, I am an avid reader a mysteries, thrillers and crime dramas. I love Jack Reacher, Mitch Rapp, Jason Bourne and etc. Besides Alex Cross who came out 30 years ago, there are no black male protangists in Thriller/Mystery fiction books. I feel the black community as a whole doesn’t read enough so I wanted to give them their Jack Reacher, but who they can relate to and that is what I want Maxwell Powers to be.
QT: How long have you been writing?: RL Little:
I have been a sports media journalist for over 20 years. I wrote my first article when I was 15 for my high school student newspaper and never have stop since. Fun fact, in my entire life, I have never had writer’s block.
QT: How long have you been working on this book?: RL Little:
It was my New Year’s Resolution, so I wrote page one on Jan 2nd, 2025 (on Jan 1st I was watching my Ohio State Buckeyes (I am alumni) destroy Oregon in Rose Bowl).
QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?: RL Little:
I think when I researched how the querying process and how daunting it can be, it felt a bit overwhelming. When I got my first rejection, I didn’t really know how to react to it, but I believed in my book and that helped me stay the course. I was in it for the long haul.
QT: Is this your first book?: RL Little:
Yes, it is something I have wanted to do for a long time.
QT: Do you have any formal writing training?: RL Little:
I have a journalism degree from The Ohio State University, but I had not formal training in writing a novel.
QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?: RL Little:
My wife and I welcomed in newborn daughter in October of 2024, I normally take the night shift with our baby girl, so my wife can get some sleep. So i’d wrote every night from 10pm-3am.
QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?: RL Little:
There was four main revisions. Based on feedback I got from some wonderful agents who even if they weren’t interested would give me some advice on how to make novel better and my beta readers.
QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?: RL Little:
I had five beta readers. All novelists themelves.
QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?: RL Little:
I wrote my book the same way Jay Z write his rhymes. Off the top of my head. I would write a scene and let it logically flow to the next scene. While I had some ideas on the ending twist, I let the flow of the book dictate what it would be.
QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?: RL Little:
Since February 28th, 2025.
QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?: RL Little:
About a 100.
QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?: RL Little:
I would look at each agency and tried to ID the agent that best fit my book.
QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?: RL Little:
If I saw something that I thought was unique about an agent, I would defintiely add it to the query. One agent happened to like Spider-Man and I am the biggest Spider-Man fan in the world. We connected over that. They didn’t feel the book was right match for them, but they gave me a lot of valuable advice because we connected over Spider-Man.
QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?: RL Little:
Really research the agents that you are querying, so you are making sure you are sending your query to individuals that align with the vision for your book. Most agents havd a detailed biography online, along with the books they have helped get published. Be sure to read them, so you aren’t wasting your time with agencies and agents that don’t align with your project

Success Story Interview - RL Little

Query Letter: